The internet has deconstructed lives of many people in various ways since its emergence, and will continue in doing so for many years to come.
The China Internet Conference, held for three days from July 11 in Beijing, has allowed attendees to catch a glimpse at knowing the latest trends in the online platform. Dozens of tech company founders and high-level executives shared the ins and outs of how their businesses have influenced people. The examples have been listed below:
Safe, free WiFi connection
Zhang Fayou, co-founder of WiFi Master Key, with a customer base of 900 million, valued at $1 billion, said WiFi has evolved into a necessity for many people, with a majority of internet users accessing a connection as the first thing they do when returning home from a day's work.
"WiFi Master Key, based on its big data analysis technology, informs its users of which free WiFi hotspots are deemed safe. If one WiFi hotspot indicates it is in Shandong province one day and in Shanxi province the next day, there might be a problem."
"In addition, those who suffer a property loss due to the connection to a WiFi hotspot under the help of a WiFi Master Key could claim compensation."
"However, in saying this, since the company introduced insurance in 2015, there has been no such claim."
Extending high-quality medical service to more
He Chao, senior vice-president of We Doctor, with a registered customer base of 165 million, valued at $3 billion, confirmed that the We Doctor Group, which started as an online platform for registration to replace lining up at hospitals, and evolved into an internet hospital platform, aimed to open 100 primary care center nationwide.
"We are not only creating good-quality medical services, but extends these services to more people," He said.
"The We Doctor Primary Care Center, leveraging on many years' effort to connect patients online and doctors offline, as well as many years' efforts in building its connection with hospitals, will change the whole medical service system and bring benefits to the new emerging middle class."
Retailing on social media platforms
Wu Zhaoguo, the chairman of Sibu Group, connecting 1.3 million distributors, brick-and-mortar stores, along with business incubators, said he was "sorry to everyone attending the China Internet Conference."
"I guess you must have been bothered by people who sold products on WeChat over the last two years, and I was the one that behind those 'micro retailers'," Wu said.
"Social commerce is not about products without production date, certification or manufacturer, nor pyramid scheme."
"However, illegal merchants took advantage of this form and made our company which paid 200 million yuan in tax last year under great pressure."
"Over the past three years, I have visited the Ministry of Commerce and State Administration for Industry Commerce to tell officials of how the social commerce model allows those, who have no money to run a business on e-commerce platforms and no money to rent a shop, to start up their own business."
Everybody can raise cattle on a smartphone
Zhang Shengbo, founder of Angusmou.com, which is said to connect husbandry, internet and finance, said if you download the app and pay 5,000 yuan, you can adopt an Australian-based Angus.
"Via this, you can get spot beef directly from Australian ranches at low prices, and by raising this cattle, you can get investment returns, which are in the form of future beef," Zhang said.
"Over the past year, we have acquired 200,000 such customers and the value of cattle has reached 50 million yuan.
"We control six ranches in Australia, which is equivalent to the area of four Singapore.
"In the downstream, we understand that consumers want safe, stable and crystal investment channels, and safe, traceable food at not very high prices. In the upstream, we know ranches want pre-paid cash to decide how much beef to produce."
"Even if you do not eat beef, you could also raise an animal, and the weight gain of this cattle is your return in investment. You could cash it in easily as we have cooperated with an Australian livestock exchange."
Travelling by shared bikes
Yu Xin, co-founder of ofo, said on the China Internet Conference on July 12 that in the days before bike-sharing startup ofo, it took almost the same time to travel three kilometers and 20 kilometers in urban cities.
"Shared bikes have changed the way people travel, and we hope lots of young people will fall in love with cycling and say "let's ofo" when they need to go to short-distance destinations," Yu said.
